Connected: An Internet Encyclopedia
RFC 1519 - 4. Changes to inter-domain routing protocols and practices

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### 4. Changes to inter-domain routing protocols and practices

In order to support supernetting efficiently, it is clear that some changes will need to be made to both routing protocols themselves and to the way in which routing information is interpreted. In the case of "new" inter-domain protocols, the actual protocol syntax changes should be relatively minor. This mechanism will not work with older inter-domain protocols such as EGP2; the only ways to interoperate with old systems using such protocols are either to use existing mechanisms for providing "default" routes or b) require that new routers talking to old routers "explode" supernet information into individual network numbers. Since the first of these is trivial while the latter is cumbersome (at best -- consider the memory requirements it imposes on the receiver of the exploded information), it is recommended that the first approach be used -- that older systems to continue to the mechanisms they currently employ for default handling.

Note that a basic assumption of this plan is that those organizations which need to import "supernet" information into their routing systems must run IGPs (such as OSPF [1]) which support classless routes. Systems running older IGPs may still advertise and receive "supernet" information, but they will not be able to propagate such information through their routing domains.

4.1 Protocol-independent semantic changes
4.2. Rules for route advertisement
4.3. How the rules work
4.4. Responsibility for and configuration of aggregation
4.5 Intra-domain protocol considerations

Next: 4.1 Protocol-independent semantic changes

Connected: An Internet Encyclopedia
RFC 1519 - 4. Changes to inter-domain routing protocols and practices